Serendipity
by charlibubble
Summary: Catherine's departure hit her hard but there may be a silver lining...


The Lab was a different place these days. What had once been her sanctuary, her home almost now resembled something she barely recognised. It was inevitable the team would change over the years.

Now Catherine was leaving.

Not just leaving the lab but leaving the profession completely. She would admit to having struggled to see Catherine as a boss at first. Over the many years they had known each other they had had a tumultuous relationship for most of the time. Now however as two mature and professional women they had come to be friends. She knew that Catherine had had a lot to do with the fact that she was now a married woman. Catherine had always been behind Grissom steering him in the direction he should have been going all along. He may not have noticed her influence but Sara certainly did and as she watched her pack up her things she realised that she had never thanked her for that.

For some reason the words choked in her throat, she didn't know what to say. It would have been a whole lot easier if Catherine had been leaving under happier circumstances. If she had made the decision herself. Sara wouldn't have been so hesitant. The truth was Catherine was being pushed out and Sara was not too sure where her loyalties lay.

She felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder and turned to see Nick standing there by her side with a sad smile. They both watched Catherine as she placed her photographs and trinkets in a huge box with tears in her eyes.

"She'll be ok, Sara. She's tougher than most men I know"

Sara shook her head and narrowed her eyes at him; men could be so completely vacant sometimes.

"That's just what she wants you to think Nick. Do you think she wants this?"

As she stormed away she collided head on with the man who had started all this; D.B Russell. He held her at arm's length as he took in her frown and the anger in her eyes.

"Sara, I need to speak with you"

She wasn't in the mood for this at all; she needed to get out of there to cool down. She had no doubt in her mind that Ecklie had shared his opinions of her quick temper with this man and the last thing she needed right now was a reason to go off on one of her trademark rants. She glared at him and he visibly flinched, his hands dropping to his sides as she continued on her way out of the lab.

She didn't stop as she drove through the pouring rain and the bright lights of Las Vegas. She had no idea where she was going, she just had to drive, to clear her head before she returned to her quiet, empty home.

Empty.

Exactly how she felt.

As she pulled into the parking garage she felt heavy, it was a huge effort to heave herself from the car and approach the front door, a huge effort to rummage in her purse and find her keys, a huge effort to mount the few steps to her front door.

The door swung open before she even put her keys in the door, she was on guard immediately. Her hand instinctively reaching for the gun in her holster as she stepped into the house and gazed around at the carnage that greeted her.

Her heart raced and her stomach churned with butterflies as she looked over the bags and boxes cluttering her hallway. This was not the empty apartment she had expected to come home to, this was about as far from what she had expected as anyone could get. She inhaled the rich sweet smell of home cooking, she felt every muscle in her body relax as she realised exactly what was going on.

He was back.

Back for good by the looks of it. Her hands ran along the side of the boxes, it looked as though he had brought just about everything he owned. She smiled as she looked inside to see an eclectic collection of jumble. Carvings, jars, plants and papers. He had even brought home some of the sex pots she remembered him speaking so fondly of.

"You're not supposed to be here yet!"

His voice made her jump and then all at once she had shivers up and down her spine and her arms were around him pulling him into a tight embrace and showering him with kisses. This was exactly what she needed right now. Her husband in her arms exactly where he belonged.

"I'm not supposed to be here?"

His bright smile and shining eyes melted her heart immediately. She didn't really care why he was there, the main thing being that he was, in fact, there. He slipped his arms around her waist and she relished the feeling of his hands on her.

"I made you dinner, hope you're hungry"

"If you're cooking, I'm always hungry"

She watched as he stirred his massive pot, this was a tradition they had come to share. When he was there he always cooked, she loved watching him in the kitchen. The look of concentration which crossed his face, his attention to detail and his obvious enjoyment when he provided a plate full of delicious food. It was always delicious; he was a naturally skilled cook.

She moved behind him, resting her head on his shoulders, breathing in his scent and squeezing him closer to her body as though making sure he was really there.

"You don't want to know why I'm here?"

"Doesn't matter"

She was clinging to him like her life depended on it.

"I'm coming back to the lab"

Her eyes snapped open; she was suddenly not so tired anymore.

"Temporarily…. I...uh… I'll be"

Before he could finish her lips were on his, silencing his rambling in one simple movement.

"Doesn't matter, you're here. That's all I need to know"

**ALSO… if you would like to see Grissom return to CSI even for a little while get on over to Facebook and join our page. Just search for 'Bring Gil Grissom Back To CSI" xx**


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